WOODLEAF

“The best Young Life is yet to be done.” — Jim Rayburn

Once a logging town, founded in the gold rush area of Northern California in the mid-1880s, Woodleaf Towne was purchased by Young Life in 1966 by a group of men with a vision for kids meeting Jesus all over America’s western states. Woodleaf’s history spans 50 years and includes more than 100,000 kids, leaders, staff and adult guests. And during every one of those years, we’ve seen that once out of their world and face to face with their Creator, kids meet Christ.

Kids today also need opportunities to get away from the world they live in and build relationships with leaders and other kids dealing with the same issues. They need to be met where they are. Young Life Camping, including Woodleaf, provides environments for kids to experience Jesus.

Woodleaf’s age is showing and the present condition of its infrastructure and lodging doesn’t facilitate the camping experience that Young Life is known for. We value fun, adventure and excellence, so we are embarking on a $21.4 million fundraising campaign, “The Next 50 Years: Woodleaf’s 50th Anniversary Ministry Campaign.” This campaign includes capital improvements to bring this premier property into the next century and aims to strengthen ministry throughout the western United States and the world.

THE TEENS WE SERVE

The graphs above show the incredible change in the ministry landscape at Woodleaf over the last 50 years. In California and the other southwestern states, the ethnic shift from Anglo to non-Anglo kids is reflected in the camping statistics at Woodleaf, but that’s only the beginning of what is happening here. Ethnic diversity is not the only thing we are seeing. Young Life also serves kids with disabilities through its Capernaum ministry and teen moms through its YoungLives ministry. We need to update Woodleaf’s cabins, roads and layout to facilitate the wheelchairs and strollers that go along with these incredible teens.

THE BEST POSSIBLE WOODLEAFWe invite you to imagine the best possible Woodleaf and consider making that vision a reality!